Google Responds To Europe’s Antitrust Claims Over Android

Earlier this year the European Regulators launched an antitrust complaint against Google over their Android OS.

The EU regulators are claiming, that Google has abused its position by promoting their own apps on Android, Google has now released 100 page response to the European Commission.

The commission’s case is based on the idea that Android doesn’t compete with Apple’s iOS. We don’t see it that way. In fact, 89 percent of respondents to the commission’s own market survey confirmed that Android and Apple compete. To ignore competition with Apple is to miss the defining feature of today’s competitive smartphone landscape.

The commission argues that we shouldn’t offer some Google apps as part of a suite. No manufacturer is obliged to preload any Google apps on an Android phone. But we do offer manufacturers a suite of apps so that when you buy a new phone, you can access a familiar set of basic services. Android’s competitors, including Apple’s iPhone and Microsoft’s Windows phone, not only do the same, but they allow much less choice.

The European regulators could fine Google up to 10 percent of their global revenue which would end up being around $7.4 billiom, Google will obviously be fighting any ruling against them.